Hitzfeld: Bayern can win league with victory

Former Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund manager Ottmar Hitzfeld believes Bayern will win the Bundesliga title if they can take all three points from Germany's 'Clasico' between the two sides on Satuday.

203 countries are set to be watching the clash that will see Bayern longing for a win, after having lost their last four Bundesliga matches against Dortmund.

The away side, meanwhile, need all three points to keep any hopes of a trio of successive titles alive, with Bayern already 11 points ahead of them.

And Hitzfeld, currently in charge of Switzerland, feels a win for Dortmund could blow the fight for first spot right open.

"If Bayern win, I believe, they will win the title," Hitzfeld said. "But if Dortmund win, they have the return leg in front of their home crowd and everything will be open again."

In the last 20 years Bayern have won ten Bundesliga titles while Dortmund have won five, making them the most successful sides in recent German history.

"It's not just any other Bundesliga fixture, prestige is at stake," Bayern defender Holger Badstuber told the Bayern official website.

Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp is fairly relaxed ahead of the game and is confident his side can pull off a result.

"We know how to play there," he said. "If we can put all our quality on the pitch, then there are only a few clubs in the Bundesliga that are as difficult to play against as us."

Dortmund will be able to field Germany trio Mats Hummels, Ilkay Gundogan and Mario Gotze, who had to watch the mid-week draw against Dusseldorf from the terraces.

"Mario has so far only been able to do a few running drills, but it still looks good for him," Klopp said. "I hope that all of them will be back on track again."

Bayern boss Jupp Heynckes rested Mario Mandzukic and handed Mario Gomez his first start of the season in the 2-0 defeat of Freiburg in midweek. But Mandzukic looks set to return to the starting line-up alongside Bastian Schweinsteiger, who was also rested against Freiburg.